ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. stock — goods
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. land — ground
  6. rule — government
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pop — soda
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. stock — shares
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. vault — a safe
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. toast — bread
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. pop — music
  21. rule — a law
  22. land — a country
  23. land — to come down
  24. vault — in gymnastics

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com